# EUR-Lex - 52013PC0335 - EN

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# 52013PC0335

**Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, in the EEA Joint Committee amending Protocol 30 to the EEA Agreement, on specific provisions on the organization of cooperation in the field of statistics /* COM/2013/0335 final - 2013/0175 (NLE) */**

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1.           CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

In order to ensure the requisite legal
security and homogeneity of the Internal Market, the EEA Joint Committee is to
integrate all the relevant EU legislation into the EEA Agreement as soon as
possible after its adoption.

2.           RESULTS OF CONSULTATIONS
WITH THE INTERESTED PARTIES AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS

The draft Decision of the EEA Joint
Committee (annexed to the proposed Council Decision) aims to amend Protocol 30.
The EEA EFTA States aim to continue their participation in the EU multiannual
statistical programme. As the financial envelope of the European statistical
programme 2013-17 has been set for 2013 only, and although the financial
framework for 2014 to 2017 remains to be decided upon, participation in the
programme for 2013 should already be decided upon by the EEA Joint Committee.

Thus, the draft JCD incorporates the new
European statistical programme 2013-17 into Protocol 30 to the EEA Agreement
for the year 2013.

3.           LEGAL ELEMENTS OF THE
PROPOSAL

Article 1(3) of Council Regulation (EC) No
2894/94 concerning arrangements for implementing the EEA Agreement provides
that the Council establishes the position to be adopted on the Union’s behalf
on such Decisions, on a proposal from the Commission.

The Commission submits the Draft Decision
of the EEA Joint Committee for adoption by the Council as the Union’s position.
The Commission would hope to be able to present it in the EEA Joint Committee
at the earliest possible opportunity.

2013/0175 (NLE)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

on the position to be adopted, on behalf
of the European Union,
in the EEA Joint Committee
amending Protocol 30 to the EEA Agreement,
on specific provisions on the organization of cooperation in the field of
statistics

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning
of the European Union, and in particular Article 338(1),
in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No
2894/94 of 28 November 1994 concerning arrangements for implementing the
Agreement on the European Economic Area[1],
and in particular Article 1(3) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the
European Commission,

Whereas:

(1)       The Agreement on the
European Economic Area[2]
(“the EEA Agreement”) entered into force on 1 January 1994.

(2)       Pursuant to Article 98 of
the EEA Agreement, the EEA Joint Committee may decide to amend, inter alia, Protocol
30 thereto.

(3)       Protocol 30 to the EEA
Agreement contains specific provisions on the organization of cooperation in
the field of statistics.

(4)       Regulation (EU) No 99/2013
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 January 2013 on the
European statistical programme 2013-17[3]
sets the financial envelope for 2013 for the implementation of the European
statistical programme 2013-17. The financial allocation for the period 2014 to
2017 is yet to be decided upon.

(5)       The EEA statistical
programme 2013 should be based on Regulation (EU) No 99/2013 and should include
those programme elements which are necessary for the description and monitoring
of all relevant economic, social and environmental aspects of the European
Economic Area.

(6)       Protocol 30 to the EEA
Agreement should therefore be amended in order to allow for this extended
cooperation to take place from 1 January 2013.

(7)       The position of the Union
in the EEA Joint Committee should be based on the attached draft Decision,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be adopted, on behalf of
the European Union, in the EEA Joint Committee on the proposed amendment to Protocol
30 to the EEA Agreement shall be based on the draft Decision of the
EEA Joint Committee attached to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the
day of its adoption.

Done at Brussels,

For
the Council

The
President

Annex

Draft

DECISION
OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE
No

of

amending
Protocol 30 to the EEA Agreement,
on specific provisions on the organization of cooperation in the field of
statistics

THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Agreement on the
European Economic Area (“the EEA Agreement”), and in particular Article 98
thereof,

Whereas:

(1)
Regulation (EU) No 99/2013 of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 15 January 2013 on the European statistical
programme 2013-17[4]
sets the financial envelope for 2013 for the implementation of the European
statistical programme 2013-17. The financial allocation for the period 2014 to
2017 is yet to be decided upon.

(2)
The EEA statistical programme 2013 should be
based on Regulation (EU) No 99/2013 and should include those programme elements
which are necessary for the description and monitoring of all relevant
economic, social and environmental aspects of the European Economic Area.

(3)
Protocol 30 to the EEA Agreement should
therefore be amended in order to allow for this extended cooperation to take
place from 1 January 2013.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The following is inserted after Article 4
(Modernisation of European Enterprises and Trade Statistics (MEETS)) of
Protocol 30 to the EEA Agreement:

‘Article 5

Statistical
Programme 2013

1.           The European statistical
programme 2013-17 as established by the Regulation of the European Parliament
and of the Council to which reference is made in paragraph 4 shall constitute
the framework for the EEA statistical actions to be carried out between 1
January 2013 and 31 December 2013. All main fields and statistical themes of
the European statistical programme 2013-17 shall be considered to be relevant
for the EEA statistical cooperation and shall be open for full participation by
the EFTA States.

2.           A specific EEA Statistical
Programme for 2013 shall be developed jointly by the EFTA Statistical Office
and Eurostat. The EEA Statistical Programme for 2013 shall be based on a subset
of, and be drawn up in parallel with the annual work programme elaborated by
the Commission in accordance with the Regulation of the European Parliament and
of the Council referred to in paragraph 4. The EEA Statistical Programme for
2013 shall be approved by the Contracting Parties according to their own
internal procedures.

3.           For 2013, the EFTA States shall
contribute financially in accordance with Article 82(1)(a) of the Agreement and
the Financial Regulations thereto to an amount representing 75 per cent of the
amount shown in budget lines 29 02 05 (European statistical programme 2013-17)
and 29 01 04 05 (Statistical information policy – Expenditure on administrative
management) entered in the budget of the European Union for 2013.

4.           The following act is the object
of this Article:

-        32013 R 0099: Regulation (EU)
No 99/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 January 2013 on
the European statistical programme 2013-17 (OJ L 39, 9.2.2013, p. 12).”’

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the
day following the last notification under Article 103(1) of the EEA Agreement*.

It shall apply from 1
January 2013.

Article 3

This Decision shall be published in the EEA
Section of, and in the EEA Supplement to, the Official Journal of the
European Union.

Done at Brussels, .

For
the EEA Joint Committee

The
President
           
           
           
            The Secretaries
            to the EEA Joint Committee

[1]               OJ L 305, 30.11.1994, p. 6.

[2]               OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p. 3.

[3]               OJ L 39, 9.2.2013, p. 12.

[4]               OJ L 39, 9.2.2013, p. 12.

*               [No constitutional requirements indicated.]
[Constitutional requirements indicated.]